Oak Creek Fitness

Change Your Mind-Change Your Body

Fad diets annoy the crap out of me because they are based on fake science and they completely mess with your mind.

They make you skinny, for a while. Then they make you fat, then skinny, then fat again. It’s a deeply unhealthy pattern and the eternal dieter, forever carrying unwanted extra pounds, is the only loser – except they lose money instead of fat and get trapped in a vicious cycle of unhealthy thinking.

Fad diets make you feel guilty, and ultimately like a failure. They are not realistic because they are unsustainable – after all it’s impossible to maintain a rigid practice that offers no enjoyment.

They present you with a list of “haves” and “have nots” and remove your ability to make smart food choices based on common sense. They may even encourage extremely unhealthy, disordered eating patterns. They are gimmicks that drive you away from having a healthy relationship with food.

On some level we all know this, yet the promise of a quick fix, particularly when we are in the midst of holiday season, is something that the proponents of these supposed miracle diets know they can count on to get you on board.

If you are serious about managing your weight, you must decide to build a healthy relationship with food.

This is easier said than done when living a world where there are no barriers to indulging in unhealthy foods that offer little nourishment. It takes effort and work – but the only tool you need is your own mind.

If you don’t free your mind then your relationship with food will be an unhealthy and unhappy one for ever more.

It all starts with your thoughts. Your thoughts become your behaviours, and your behaviours determine the outcome.

You must also learn to focus on the effort you put into achieving your goals, not an unrealistic outcome, where you end up looking like a supermodel.

If you mess up from time to time, that’s absolutely ok – in fact, it’s normal.

The healthiest eaters tend to adopt a “little bit of what you like” rule. For maybe 90% of their time, they are mindful of eating nutritional foods that help them be the high-functioning person we can all be at our best.

The remaining 10% of their food intake can centre on produce that is more fun – and yes, food should absolutely have a fun side.

An “all or nothing” mindset is the basis of most fad diets and invariably leads to failure. This is a demeaning way to live and encourages very low self-esteem due to a constant perception of failure. I know this because like a lot of you, I’ve been that obsessive dieter.

But if I learned how to use my mind to change my body for the better, you can too. It is my passion to help empower others, by offering a new way of thinking. Here are some simple steps you can take:

NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS

Don’t eliminate whole food groups. You will only feel like you are being deprived and missing out. Instead, allow yourself some dietary freedom. Choose to eat whole unprocessed foods 90% of the time, but every now and then allow yourself to indulge in a fun food that you enjoy. Nothing should be “off limit”. Give yourself the choice and feel the mental struggle disappear.

SET REALISTIC GOALS

Set behaviour goals that you can control. For example, you can set a behaviour goal of having vegetables with every meal because that is something you can control. An example of a goal that you cannot control is losing two pounds a week. You can choose your behaviours but you cannot choose how your body will react to them. Focus on the behaviours that you can control consistently over a period of time, the body will follow.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Eat when hungry and stop when satisfied, not stuffed. Ask yourself are you really hungry? Or are you eating for some other reason? Get to know your hunger cues.

BE PATIENT

Find a nutrition plan that works for you and stick to it consistently over an extended period of time. Even if progress is slow, progress is still progress. Be patient.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF

Stop beating yourself up if you fall off plan every now and then. Life happens, and we should not punish ourselves for that. Give yourself a break.

EMPOWER YOURSELF

Applied knowledge is power. Find a mentor who will teach you why you are making certain decisions about food. If you understand why you should be eating certain things, then you are more likely to choose to do it. You are making an informed conscious decision to get one step closer to your goals.

FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE

Instead of focusing on the negative - “I must run 3 miles to burn off the Mars bar I ate” - focus on the positive. Remind yourself why you are exercising - “I am exercising to improve my health and fitness, to enhance my body composition, to make my body stronger.”

YOU DESERVE TO SUCCEED

Say to yourself over and over again “I deserve to reach my goals”. You deserve to make progress, to feel good, and in control. If you stay on plan, you will feel great and ultimately reach your goals.

By changing your mindset, you will create a foundation that will positively influence the outcome of your behaviours, and you will be more confident and happier than any magic diet pill will ever make you. The body will follow.

Succeeding with fat loss takes a truck load more than mindlessly following a diet. It takes freeing your mind. It takes patience an acceptance that it will take time. It takes consistency and finding a balance that works for you. It takes setting achievable, realistic goals. It takes ridding yourself of unnecessary expectations. It takes giving yourself a break.

PS This is why the #1 focus on our programs is MINDSET!!!

Food doesn’t make us fat; it’s how we think about food that makes us fat.

You can quite literally change your mind to change your body. It is not a simple process, and it won’t happen overnight. But by changing how we think about food, we can change our everyday habits and our relationship with food. These everyday habits built up overtime will ultimately determine the outcome. The outcome being improved body composition, better health, a freer mind, and ultimately a happier person.

With our Personal Training Programs, my aim is to banish fad dieting and yo yo dieting forever. I know what it is to be stuck in this vicious circle of losing/gaining fat. I have been to the bottom of the fad dieting barrel and it is hell on earth. It is my sincerest intention to help others break free from this hell hole too.

I do this by educating people about food choices, portion control, how to incorporate fun foods and treats into their diet, and how to eat mindfully to help you gain your health, improve body composition, and develop your overall well-being.

Integrity and honesty are very important to me so my approach is nonsense free with no hidden agenda regarding selling a magic pill.

Secure your place in one of our programs by giving us a call or simply filling out a consultation request form here on our website.

PPS I don’t believe any Fitness Program should have an expiration date, so this offer will never expire.

Jim and Lori Success

Lori1. What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program?I wanted to lose some weight and work on gaining some muscle strength. TheKickstart Program seemed to offer the perfect plan for that. The complete programoffered that and so much more.

2. What results have you achieved since starting your program.After 4 weeks of being on the program and sticking to the exercise &amp; nutrition plan: Ilost almost 5 pounds of Body Fat Mass (lbs). I gained 0.3 in Skeletal Muscle Mass(lbs). I lost 2% Body Fat. My BMI dropped 0.8%.

3. What do you like best about our program/having a trainer?The best part of having a trainer is having someone to hold you accountable. Timgave you that extra push when needed. He gave you the confidence to succeed.He will push you and motivate you. You walk away knowing that you are able to domore when you put your mind to it. The workouts were challenging and because ofthat came the good results. You will increase your strength and build lean muscle. Inever walked away after the workouts and had regrets about working out. Felt goodand challenged but very happy to see that I could better myself each time.

4. What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?Give the program a try. The 4-Week KickStart Program is enough to start you onyour path to health and wellness. The weight loss and building of strength are theresults you can look forward to achieving. Give yourself a head start for the NewYear. I am happy with my results. This will inspire me to continue on my path tobetter health and weight loss.

Jim

1. What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program?Having never done weight training, I knew I needed help to get started. This seemed like theperfect way to get started with that and also lose some weight at the same time.

2. What results have you achieved since starting your program.After 4 weeks of being on the programs and sticking to the exercise &amp; nutrition plan:I lost 8 pounds of weight and almost 6% of Body Fat Mass (lbs). I gained 3 pounds in SkeletalMuscle Mass.

3. What do you like best about our program/having a trainer?Having a trainer with the knowledge that Tim has I knew he could jump start me in the rightdirection. He pushed me in the 4 week program to limits I didn't think I could reach. I was doingweights I never imagined when I signed up. The workouts were challenging but the feeling youleft there with afterwards made you want to continue. Results were seen in very little time. Itwas easy to tell from the start Tim was there to guide me along and make sure I wouldsucceed.

4. What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?For anyone thinking about getting started just give it a try. When you can see results like Iachieved in just 4 weeks you know it was well worth it. It's not just the training and exercise butlearning the nutrition part of the program is something you will take home with you and useforever. It's one of the best decisions I ever made.

Meghann R. - 24 Years Old

Meghann has not only lost 20 pounds on the scale but she has found a new passion for health and fitness that she will carry on for years to come!

What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program?

I’ve always been active, whether it was playing tennis or practicing martial arts for a number of years, but I never truly focused on nutrition. After being in a car accident that left me with a back injury, it became difficult to keep up my participation in the activities that I enjoyed. Fast forward through four busy years of college where staying fit and eating well had taken a backseat, I realized that I needed a routine to stick to that would keep me focused and motivated. My boyfriend and I decided to start a program together with the intention that we’d be each other’s support and keep each other on track.

What results have you achieved since starting your program?

I’ve lost a significant amount of weight, but what I gained is far more important. About two months into the program, it become less about the numbers on the scale will carry on for years to come! and more about working toward being happier and healthier. I became focused on what I could do rather than what I couldn’t do, and in the process I discovered power-lifting, so I started training for my first power-lifting meet. This program has been incredibly rewarding because I feel fantastic and so much healthier, and I’ve loved learned more about nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I was able to safely train through an existing back injury, and now I’m feeling stronger than ever. So if you only look at the numbers, the scale will say that I’ve lost about twenty pounds and 8% body fat, but the scale won’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this entire journey or how excited I am to keep going.

What do you like best about our program/having a trainer?

The best part about the program is the support and encouragement, and it comes from every staff member at Oak Creek Fitness. The environment is fantastic; it feels as if everyone is cheering you on. You get out of this program what you put into it, but you get someone coaching you every step of the way. They want you to succeed just as much you do. My boyfriend and I work with Tim, and he always keeps the training sessions fun and interesting. When I said I was interested in competing in a power-lifting meet, he changed our training program and worked with both of us to improve our strength and still continue working toward our weight loss goals. He’s incredibly patient, knows exactly what he’s doing, and it’s great to work with someone who is enthusiastic and truly loves their job. He definitely went above and beyond to help us reach our respective goals.

What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?

We are told so often, “You only get one body, so treat it well,” and that’s exactly what you should do. Invest in a personal training program that will give you all the tools to take care of yourself and keep yourself healthy long after you’ve completed your program. You won’t regret it. This was the best investment that I’ve made and I’m so glad that I’ve found a new hobby and lifestyle that I can enjoy for years to come.

Todd Pfander

Todd has lost 30 lbs while training with Tim. He looks and feels so much better as he improves his health and longevity.

What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a program?

I’ve always liked exercising. But, I had my left knee replaced in 2012 and gained about 45 pounds. I found myself getting extremely lazy. When I exercised, I started cutting it short. I saw no results at all. Then, I started watching the trainers at Oak Creek Fitness and realized that they were doing great things with their clients. I decided that I wanted the same results.

What results have you achieved since starting your program?

I started with Tim in April of 2017. (I weighed 252 pounds on April 1, 2017.) Today is September 18, 2017. I now weigh 222 pounds, and I am a lot stronger.

I’ve gone down four inches in the waist of my pants!

I’ve set personal bests in the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

I’m a competitive ski racer and anticipate better results this coming winter simply because I’m stronger and much less “bulky!”

I just “feel” better!

What do you like best about our program/having a trainer?

Tim works with me to set goals that are realistic and achievable. He has shown me how to eat correctly in order to feel full while also losing weight.

Tim is friendly, patient, and truly knows his physiology. That makes a huge difference when trying to progress.

What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?

If you are even thinking about a trainer, you must see some benefit in it. I say “try it.” The worst that will happen is that you don’t like it. If that is the case, stop. But, I think you will find that you were right all along. Having a trainer makes you more accountable to yourself. No one else can do that for you.